Shadow of a Doubt
by Silversoul50
Summary: A Pokemon Coliseum Fanfic. I'm definitely not good at summaries but it's worth the read! Follow Wes from the beginning.


Prologue

Eclo Canyon, one of the most desolate places in all of Orre, only rock walls and dirt floors, for miles and miles. Though, neither Welco or Shinim had expected to be out so late. That was until their great leader had ordered them to steal a child away from his foster home under the cover of nightfall. Things hadn't gone very roughly. Though the kid's foster father was a Pokemon trainer as well, he didn't turn out to be a very good one, and that made it easy for the pair of Team Snagem members to steal this child, Wes, away from them. They hadn't killed them like they were also ordered too, but the squealing woman of the household called the Police mid-battle, so knocking them out had to do for the time being. They'd never be suspected of heading into Eclo Canyon anyway.

Team Snagem, one of the two great crime syndicates currently merged together in light of a common goal, did much of the field work, so to speak. Their partners, Cipher, mostly stayed in labs and did research. All they were asked to do as Snagem members was to go out and steal Pokemon from unsuspecting trainers. An easy job with the machine that Cipher developed for them, Snag Machines. Fitting snugly around the arm, the machines were easy to use, so it was quite easy for them to snag whatever Pokemon they wanted. Though, certain Pokemon were taken by Cipher for 'further research' , Like Welco's recently snagged Hoothoot.

Though the job Shinim and Welco had been ordered to do this week was a little...strange. Their leader Gonzap, had absolutely insisted on them taking a child by the name of Wes here, with them. What did he possibly want with a kid in the middle of Eclo Canyon? Shinim brought the hover-crafted car to a stop just in front of a large metallic building, which was located smack in the middle of the canyon, and hopped out of the drivers side, Welco following the same movements not too long afterward. Rounding the the back, Welco pulled a child, hands and feet bound by zip-ties, out of the back. This was Wes. He was only about twelve years old, but since he was smart enough to realize he was being kidnapped, the Snagem duo had tied him up to make sure he didn't make a run for it while they were still traveling through civilization.

"Alright kid, move it." Welco ordered as he placed Wes onto the ground and cut the ties around his legs. But the child stayed silent, refusing to budge. Welco clucked his tongue, disappointed in the fact that he'd have to do this the hard way, and grabbed hold of Wes's pale yellow pajama shirt, dragging him forcefully through the doors of what was Snagem's hideout. Shinim appeared at Wes's other side, smirking slyly at Welco.

"Kids can be deadweight when they don't want to go somewhere eh?" Welco frowned at the comment, the wrinkles that made themselves prominent on his forehead making his middle-age known. Shinim chuckled.

"Don't give me that. At least I know a young spirit like myself can out run you, even with a look that sinister!" Welco sighed, dragging Wes up the stairs that led to Gonzap's office.

"Shut up Shinim. We're entering the bosses quarters so be respectful."

"But he doesn't sleep her-"

"Shut up!" Shinim clenched his teeth to prevent himself from saying anything and followed after Welco as he pushed the door open and shoved Wes inside. Upon entering, a new site greeted Wes's amber eyes, and it wasn't exactly what he had wanted to see. A very large, well muscled man stood behind a desk that seemed much to small for him. His skin was tanned and his mustache and eyebrows unusually long and styled. The red vest purposely cut to show off the man's build didn't seem to settle Wes any less.

Gonzap smiled devilishly as he caught sight of the young boy, but it was only for a moment as the wicked smile was soon replaced by one that was as sweet as the sour man could conjure up. In truth, it scared both Welco and Shinim, who had no idea what their bosses plan was.

"My son, my dear son! I knew they'd find you!" Wes's eyes widened as Gonzap drew closer, and he backed up, only to find himself backed against Shinim. The reason Wes had been placed in foster care in the first place was because his mother and father died when he was too young to remember in the first place. So why was this person now claiming to be the same man Wes had been told was dead. Finally, and bravely finding his voice, Wes piped up.

"You...must be mistaken. My dad died a long time ago. I don't even know what he looked like." Gonzap let out a light, yet deep chuckle in response to this, leaning to meet Wes's eye level as Shinim held him in place.

"Oh, but you are Wes aren't you? I don't know what lies they've been feeding you in that foster home of yours, but I am very much your father and very much alive. They took you from me, after your mother died all those years ago."

"Took me?"

"Oh yes! And for years, I've been waiting for the right time to come claim you back." Wes seemed skeptic for a second. Why...wouldn't have they returned him to his father? They seemed like honest people, but this man, he seemed sincere, and happy to see him. Welco and Shinim exchanged glaces, but neither said a word.

"Are you really?-"

"I promise. And you'll live with me now. I'll be the father I never got the chance to be before." Wes suddenly found himself choked by emotion, and he struggled out of Shinim's grasp, launching himself into Gonzap's arms, the overwhelmed orphan was even happily taken in by the man's embrace. For the first time in quite a while, Wes cried. Finally, his real father! Once he was fully comforted by his new family, he glanced up at Gonzap.

"I'll get to stay here? No more lessons?" Gonzap nodded, another fake chuckle passing his lips.

"Of course you'll stay here. But as for lessons, you'll continue them, you'll just study here, where you live." Wes pouted at that, but eager suddenly for his father's approval, he nodded. He didn't seem at all concerned with the fact that he had been kidnapped anymore.

_Vee!_

_Eevee! _Wes looked past Gonzap as two strange creatures climbed onto the top of Gonzap's desk. Small, foxlike and brown, he recognized them as Eevee, but he had never seen two up close. Squiggling out of Gonzap's grasp, the child ran over, gazing at them but unable to touch them since the ties were still around his hands. A cut of a knife later and he was free of those as well, playing with the two foxes that were now pouncing on him.

"Whose are these?" Wes asked as his laughter finally settled.

"Yours. They're gifts. I believe they enjoy being called Nomad and Lockheart." Wes was suddenly ecstatic, grinning widely at each of the Eevee.

"They're really mine?!" Gonzap nodded.

"Yes, take good care of them. They'll be your new partners. Now, Shinim, take him to his new room." Shinim nodded and took the excited child by the arm, leading him out of the office with Nomad and Lockheart not too far behind. Once they were out of sight, Welco turned to Gonzap.

"Boss, not for nothin, but you don't have any kids. So what was that about?" Gonzap's fake smile left his face as he returned to true demeanor.

"Of course I don't Welco. But I am part of his family. Twelve years ago, my brother, one of the best Pokemon trainers I have ever seen, and his wife, gave birth to a son, that boy...'tragically', they both died in a Pyrite restaurant a year later." Welco raised an eyebrow.

"And you wanted this boy?" Gonzap nodded, about to make his intentions clear.

"I'm going to groom him to be the best snagger in all of Team Snagem- excluding myself of course. It's best if he believes I am his father. After all, he couldn't tell the difference, so it's not like he minds." Welco nodded.

"Sounds like an excellent plan boss." Welco left Gonzap to his thoughts, but as Gonzap's most trusted grunt, he couldn't help but think something was wrong with this plan, something that would lead to its inevitable downfall. But if Gonzap believed the sandy-haired kid was their ticket to infamy, then he'd just have to believe in Gonzap's plans.


End file.
